Preventing the contents of a container from tampering or unauthorized use has been addressed in the prior art. This includes the safety of storage receptacles for medicines, hazardous chemicals and the like. The following U.S. Patents disclose various types of security closures for containers:
U.S. Pat. No. 446,657
U.S. Pat. No. 3,073,468
U.S. Pat. No. 3,843,007
U.S. Pat. No. 5,227,325
U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,262
U.S. Pat. No. 5,870,914
U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,976
The closure mechanisms disclosed in most of the prior art are complex and ultimately difficult to operate. In addition, the mechanisms are difficult to assemble and have high manufacturing costs.
The issue of protecting stored food from tampering has largely been unaddressed in the prior art. Retail markets have utilized various types of containers with closing lids to store perishable food items. However, most of these containers do not secure the container and do not prevent tampering.
For example, the portable safety dish, U.S. Pat. No. 8,550,281, provides for a secure food container with a locking mechanism on the side of the dish and a corresponding tab on the opposite end of the lock. This concept does not secure the container in that the bottom dish can be manipulated in an inward fashion in order to open the container. This locking solution ultimately does not prevent unauthorized opening or tampering of the contents of the container.
The present invention overcomes drawbacks of the prior art by providing for engaging lock bolts on the right and left sides of the container. The container of this invention is thoroughly secured by the locking lid thereby preventing a person without permission from tampering with the container and removing the contents. The combination lock system comprising multiple lock bolts would make it difficult for anyone to steal the contents of the container.
This food storage container can hold various types of food items like meat, grains, pastries, salads and soup. The container can easily be locked by turning a rotatable dial and unlocked by inputting a code to retract the lock bolts from the sides of the container.